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They’re SSSSLITHERY! SLIPPERY! They creep us out! But get to know them and you’ll find snakes private, quiet types who just want a cool, shady place to call home. From the tip of their forked tongues, to skin that sheds, to the rattles on certain tails, these creatures have secrets all kids will love. Cool photos and fun facts slip us inside their surprising world.

This is a quick review. This book is a Level 2 Reader. So basically the words are easy. Just factoids. Interesting little factoids and the pictures are also pretty cool to look at. I do recommend this book for the very young reader.
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Summary:
Snakes by Melissa Stewart is a National Geographic Kid’s informational book about different types of snakes. In the beginning of the book there is a question asked, “What is long and round, and slides on the ground?” There are several more questions asked and finally the answer is it’s a snake! Throughout the book illustrated pictures of different snakes, vocabulary words, and other written information is provided to inform the reader about each snake. At the end of the book the six vocabulary words are mentioned again with the definitions.

Personal Reaction:
This informational book has vivid almost life like pictures of snakes. The snakes were eating, killing their prey, and shedding their skin. It was almost frightful to look at this book. One of the snakes, the grass snake plays dead when a predator is near. There was a snake on my back patio curled up dead one summer. Although I know the snake is dead and gone, as I read this book, I couldn’t help but to imagine what if the snake on my back patio was playing dead.

Classroom Extension Ideas: 1.) Assign a research project. Students should select three snakes from different geographical areas in the United States and compile information on them. Students should discuss the habitats around them. The animals these snakes prey on should be discussed. All of this information should be in a presentation form with visual aids to present to the class.
2.) After discussing different types of snakes, have students draw and label the parts of a snake. Allow students to cut pictures of prey out of magazines that would be eaten by their snake. Have students create a book with their pictures.

This is a great book that teaches children about snakes and their habitats. This is a great way to teach children about the importance of snakes. Also great way to show that all animals are important and we should respect them.